The new Volkswagen Vento: Sharpened Sophistication

The VW Vento along with the Skoda Rapid is arguably the most technologically accomplished machine in its segment Boasting rock solid German engineering segmenttopping dynamics a choice of capable petrol and diesel engines and the much lauded dual clutch DSG as the big differentiator the Vento is for those with an evolved taste In its 2015 avatar the capable CSegment car gets a design refresh along with the addition of some new features Herersquos how VW has made this capable car even more alluringPrice Rs 78 ndash 119 lakh exshowroomDesign and styleThe Vento was always a handsome car VW hasnrsquot tried anything radical with the design and rightly so The changes made to the exterior of the 2015 Vento are subtle Styling changes are minimal working only to give the overall package a refined visual uplift Changes inside the cabin make an already cosy place more comfortable To start with VW has lent the bonnet a bit more muscle The creases on the sides have gone deeper to give it a chiselled look The front grille has also been reprofiled is now bigger in size and features three horizontal chrome slats as against the twin slatted previous version Headlamps have been left untouched though and carry forward the angular smart looking and effective double barrel units from their predecessorAt the rear the most prominent change is the introduction of LEDs in the tail lamps while the brake light continues to be lit by a filamentThe front bumper has undergone a thorough refresh too The area above the fog lamps now gets short creases The air dam is wider and fog lamps taper sideways While the earlier airdam used to be a Ushaped space outlined by chrome the new unit matches the horizontal theme on the grille and has three slats running from lamp to lamp There is also a new wider chrome strip running through the breadth of the airdamThe front grille is an allnew wider and taller unit with three prominent chrome slats running horizontallyOn the sides the car features what VW calls new wheels for the Vento though the design is similar to the ones seen on the smaller Polo 15 TDI Another change is the integration of the blinkers in the electrically folding ORVMs Door handles are now chrome lined as another premium touchAt the rear the most prominent change is the introduction of LEDs in the tail lamps while the brake light continues to be lit by a filament The horizontal chromestrip that earlier spanned the lip of the bootlid now sits atop the registration plate recess The badges have been brought down in position and we donrsquot see the Volkswagen brand name any more Like the front the rear bumper too gets a short crease that underlines the tail lamp unit and a chrome strip that runs horizontally at the bottom connecting safety reflectors at each endThe exhaust tip which earlier was hidden neatly under the rear bumper has been extended out and now features a chrome tip In addition to the internal boot release mechanism the 2015 Vento also gets a soft touch boot release button above the rear registration plateCruise control makes an appearance on the Vento and is quite a nifty feature as we found out during a lazy drive on the ExpresswayCabin and featuresInside the cabin the trim colours have been altered for a fresh appeal The 2015 VW Vento comes with a lsquoWalnut Desert Beigersquo interior colour theme on the Highline variant and lsquoCloudndashTitanschwarzrsquo scheme for Trendline and Comfortline variantsA new inclusion is Cruise Control which works amazingly well with the DSG auto on freeways The addition of a dead pedal to the footwell means that yoursquoll be even more relaxed while using that cruise control feature on an empty stretch of tarmac extending into the horizon As another small but important change the glove box gets a cooling vent to keep your chocolates and that bottle of water chilledThe rest of the cabin remains the same and as always is a high quality sophisticated and functional place Audio quality is great quality of material is top notch and the cabin has a builttolast air about it which very few cars can matchEngine transmission performanceThe 2015 Volkswagen Vento like its predecessor is available in both petrol and diesel options The oilburner is a 15litre TDI motor that makes 105 PS of peak power and 250 NM of torque You can either opt for a 5speed manual ora smooth 7speed DSG auto for this engine variantFor those who donrsquot like the dirty fuel a 12litre TSI motor making 105 PS of power at 5000 clicks and 175 NM of twist between 1500 ndash 4100 rpm is also on offer Therersquos also a 16 litre naturally aspirated petrol motor with 105PS and 153Nm mated with a 5speed manual transmissionThe 12litre turbo petrol unit comes with a 7speed dual clutch automatic gearbox as the only option loves to be revved and is an enthusiastrsquos delightAll engines are capable units for the segment and donrsquot leave anything to complain about The carrsquos immaculate engineering ensures that it masks its speed really well offering one of the best ridehandling packages in its segmentThe Vento can be fun around corners in its own way Mechanically similar to the previous version it is predictableconnected engaging and poised Once you acknowledge the fact that itrsquos an everyday family sedan the Vento impresses with what itrsquos capable of doing when pushed hardWe didnrsquot have any complaints about the ride quality though the occasional noise from the sharper ridges didnrsquot sound too pleasing at times The ride gets better with speed and once you are past 5060 kmh the Vento takes even the more unnerving undulations in its stride with aplombVerdictThe Vento may not have some of the more flashy items on its features list like a fancy screen or a navigation system though some limited edition variants do offer the feature but what it really banks on is solid build quality exemplary ride and handling quality of materials cabin comfort and capable power plants That refined DSG is the best automatic gearbox out there and is capable of handling city traffic or challenging switchbacks with easeThe technology comes at a cost though it still is comparable with the price of the topspec offerings from the rivalsVW service isnrsquot as widespread as some of the other carmakers nor is the price of its spares cheapBut if you could live with that the Vento without doubt is a car for the discerning buyer